Right Beside You
by Rabid Pink Bunny
Summary: Other half to 'Where Are You' More reflections on morning walks to school. He misses her just as much...


As mentioned, the other half to _Where Are You? _

'Nother 'musefic' fun. Once again, uses Japanese names. This will make a lot more sence if you read the other half, but it reading it first isn't quite necessary. It would just clear up a few things beforehand. Nnn'yeah... Enjoy.

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**Right Beside You**  
  
I used to take these moments for granted.

These early morning moments, where I'd open my eyes to a new day, groggingly waking up and getting ready, awaiting what's ahead of me. I never realized what these short walks to school were worth, side-by-side with her, happily chatting away as the birds chirped from a wall or windowciel. 

As the _real_ me, that is. 

Amazing how drasticly your life could change just by loosing a few inches above your head. 

It's been so long... maybe _too_ long. 

It's impossible to put into words just how badly I want to be _me_ again, to go about life _normally_ like it _should_ be. I want to be with her again, and not just as the 'cute little kid' I appear to be now. She's already told me--more or less indirectly--how she felt--but I want to tell her too! 

Life is just a cruel, _cruel_ game sometimes. I just so happen to be at that level that, no matter how hard you try, how much you practice, how long you play, you just _can't_ beat it. 

I wish there was a Gameshark for this. 

Being dragged into-- 

Woah. 

_Woah_. 

Hold on _just a minute!_

Where on earth is she going?! 

Why did she just take the turn down... down _my street?_ This isn't the way to the schools! This is a detour--! 

I sure hope this is a delivery trip to the professor's that she didn't tell me about! 

That's _gotta_ be it. It's always obvious when she starts getting suspicious... I hope. 

Worry--worry--yawn... 

... People don't kid when they say yawning is contagious. 

And... she stopped... and just _staring at my house_... This isn't looking good... Not good--not good. 

"R-Ran-neechan?" the words slipped through my mouth before I could stop myself. 

She finally snapped out of... _something_, by the way she jumped. "Hm?" 

I shifted nervously. It seemed okay, so far. "What are we doing in front of Shinichi-niisan's house? We're supposed to be headed for school..." 

She gave me a dumbfounded look. It clicked then, when she stared back at the house through the black gates with empty eyes, yet so full of hope. 

Times like this, when I know what she's feeling inside, I wish... that sometimes, she could forget about me, for just a little while, and continue on with her life without all the greif I've caused... 

I just wish she _knew_. 

Sometimes I do wish that she'd pin me down at just the right moment, hard enough that I wouldn't slip right through again, just as Hattori did to me before. 

Right now is shouting 'Perfect Timing!', even if I am freaking out of my wits. No mom to save me, Professor Agasa and Ai more than likely won't notice us out here, Hattori's all the way out in Osaka, and we kinda detoured from where we met up with Ayumi, Genta, Mitsuhiko, and sometimes Sonoko. 

She won't take the chance. After all, this is just one cruel, _cruel_ game. 

Of course, there are those _risks_ I'm less than willing to take. 

"Ran-neechan?" I repeated. 

"Conan-kun," her gentle voice began. "is there someone you miss? Someone you never knew you needed so much before?" 

I looked down at my own feet. If only she knew that I missed her as much as she missed me--Shinichi--and how horrible I feel for this entire ordeal. I hate it all. 

Even so, I took a grab of Ran's hand, attempting a happy face. "Shinichi-niisan will be back soon! As soon as he finishes that big case of his! He always says, just wait for him, because he will be back." 

She smiled, as if the whole world had suddenly became as light as a feather. 

"Have I ever told you what a blessing you are?" 

Even if Shinichi's doing a horrible job, at least I know Conan's sweeping up the dust fairly well. I'm making some sort of a difference, no matter who I am. 

Ran bent down and scooped me into her arms, embracing firmly. 

I wonder... 

If the real me ever wraps his arms around her just like she is to me... 

Would she feel just like this? 


End file.
